Rake cleaning attachment



SepLZl, 1937. H. GQRMLEY 2,093,637

RAKE CLEANING ATTCHMENT Filed June l2, 1936 f 5mg. 7%

Patented Sept. 241, 1937 I ,I.UN1TEDSTATES PATENT lorries,v

H RAKE, CLEANING ATTACHMENT Clarence H. Gormley, Farmington; Mo. Application June 12, l1936, Serial No. 84,819 comme. fici. 55-146) inventionrelates to improvements in rake cleaning attachments for lawn and garden rakes.

The main object of -my invention is to provide a devicewhich may be readily and conveniently operated to clean outv all leaves, grass and similar debris whichcommonlybecome` lodged between the teeth of a lawn orgarden rake and which interfere 'greatly with the raking operation rthereof. l Another object is to provide a rake cleaning device which may be readilyattached to a garden or ylawn rake without alteration or injurious change therein and which may be as readily de- Atached when not in use.

Another object is to provide a rake cleaning device which is suitable for use on any com` monly usedform or style of rake andwhich is readily adjustable to t rakes of any width Jand number of teeth. 1

A further` object is to provide a rake cleaner which is simple and inexpensive in construction and comprises simply a part'edmounting clamp for securing around the rake handle and having ,laterallyextendedbearing arms terminating in bearing hooks, a cleaner carrying frame including a Qbight adapted for pivotal `andy removable mounting in the said bearing hooks and having a U-shaped loop extended upwardly around the yhandle and detachably connected by a retractile 'coil spring to the clamp whereby the armsof the frame are normally Vheld in one position, the said arms of the frame extending divergently from the clamp toward the rake head and being joined u'tl'iereat by a channeled cross member, and slidlably connected yoke membersslidably and Vadjustably mounted in the cross lmemberand enclosing the rake head.

With these and other objects in view the in vention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing as showing a preferred embodiment of my invention for purposes of exemplification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevation of a. conventional form of rake showing my invention applied thereto. j

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning 50 yoke and its carrying frame.

Figure 3 is an end view of the clamp. Figure 4 is a fragmental perspective view of one of the yoke members.

Figure 5 is a fragmental side elevation of the 55 channeled cross members.

`radially extendedV apertured ears Figure 6 is anfenlarged cross line 6-6 in Figure 5.

Referring nowA with more particularity to the drawing the reference character A designates a well known form of rake comprising a handle B section along the l on the end of whichV the usual toothed rake head C is mounted by the ferrule D. As will become apparent however in the course of this description my cleaning attachment will fit not only this form of rake but any other well known forms such as the bow rake and the like.

In carrying out my invention I provide a mounting clamp I0 of 'annular parted form adapted to encircle the rake handle B and having II through which a bolt I2 is placed and provided with a nut I3 for drawing the ears together and constricting the clamp around the handle.. Integral arms I4 are extended laterally and oppositely from the clamp IIJ as shown and at theirouter end portions are turned downwardly and back upwardly from their lateral margins forming upwardly opening bearing hooks I5.

When mounted in therake A the clamp I0 is placed on the handle B some distance back of the rake head C with the ears II turned upwardly and the arms I4 extended laterally at right angles to the handle tion I1 having axially aligned bearing reaches I8 and a U-shaped loop I9 disposed eccentrically to and'offset from the reaches I8 byI short sections 2li. The reaches I8` are adapted to 'pivotally and removably mountf in the bearing hooks I5 and the loop I9 will then extend upwardly and varound the handle B forwardly of the clamp I 0 as shown. Arms 2| are extended forwardly and divergently from the bight I 'I toward and adjacent to the rake head C and are joined at their free frontalends by a cross bar or member 22 which extends in parallelism to and immediately behind the head C. This cross member 22 has marginal ilanges or lips 23 turned inwardly and spaced so as to form a slideway or channel 24 as shown.

A cleaning yoke 28 is provided and same is made up of two substantially U-shaped sections 28a and 28h formed up from fiat metal strips to provide for each a bight 29, relatively short inner leg 30 and longer outer leg 3|. The inner leg 30 of the sections 28a and 28h are slidably inserted in opposite ends of the channel 24 in the cross member 22 and each `of the longer legs 3l has ears 32 bent around the adjacent legs to form a slidable connection therewith. The two yoke sections 28a and 28o thus enclose the rake head C and each section may be pulled apart or pushed together to make the yoke t a rake head of any usual width. The bight or main web of the cross member 22 has a series of spaced sockets or indentations 33 punched outward each side of its center and the ends of the legs 30 have tits or bosses 34 v punched outward so that as, the se c tions 28a and 28h are moved apart or togethery the said bosses will enter the sockets and so holdv the yoke at any set length.

A retractile coil spring 35 is hooked at 36 to the loop I9 and is attached at 31 over the clamp bolt I2 and this spring is adapted by a rearward pull on the loop I9 to swing the arms 2| onthe'ir SDf.ir1g hooked between the clamp and the loop,

pivots in the hooks I5 and hold `the, yoke-.'28 elevated to the top of the rake head C` as show n in full lines in Figure 1. The cross member '22 has a central drop or downward -bend 3 8 to clear the ferrule D and allow the yoke 28 `to rise'to the top offthe rake head as vwill be understood. Now when-the teeth of the rake headl become clogged with leaves, grass,v etc., the; rake may be raised and then swung downwardl sharply to an abrupt stop and the yoke .28 will snap or swing downwardly cleaning out the debris from -Jthe teeth..y The spring 35 will then return the parts to normal: position outof the-way for, :use of ythe The tensionvof the :spring is suchl as t rake. just hold the yoke raised and itlwill not retard the downward movement whenthe rake is manipulated asdescribed to clean the teeth.

When its use is -not desiredthe cleaner may` 4 frontal endsf offthe arms and enclosing the. rake be readily removed by lifting it from the hooks I and unhooking thespring 35, leaving the| clamp I0 in place on the handle readyior replacement of the cleaner.` Since-no toolsare required for this operation it may be carried out convenientlyand quickly.

ferred'embodimentofr my inventionit is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to provide a practical device for the'purposes intended, not departing from the spirit of, the inventionzand within the ing a bight pivotally mounted in the said-hooks,` n

, said cross member.

and a U-shaped loop offset from the-bight and extended around the handle, a fretractil e coil spring hooked between the clamp andthe-loop,

the said frame including arms extended from the bight toward the rake head, a yoke attached to the free ends of the arms and enclosing the said rake head, a cross member joining the free ends of the arms and hav-ing a longitudinal channel, and the said yoke comprising a pair of U-shaped sections each with one leg slidably connected to one leg of the other and the remaining legs slidably mounted in the said channels.

2. In combinationwith a rake includingahandleiandtoothed head, a clamp secured around the rake handle at some distance' from the rake I: hleacl, arms extended laterally from the clamp, bearing hooks on the said arms, a frame including `atbight pivotally mounted in the said hooks anda U-shapedwloop offset from the bighi'l and extended around-"the handle, a retractile coil the said frame including arms extended from the bight toward the rake head, a yoke attached to the-free ends of the arms and enclosing1the saidrake head,.a cross member joining the free endsof, the. arms and having a longitudinal chan-- nel,- the said yoke comprising a pair of L J-shaped .-sectionsyeachwith one leg slidably connected to one lego f the other and the remaining legs slid- .ably mounted 'in the said channels, and means .for-flocking theyoke sections in any adjusted position in the channel.

3.,I1 1 combination with a rake havinga handle andgtroothed head, a clamp secured'to the rake handle, a carrier framepivoted and removably.

mounted ,on-the clamp at the underside ofthe rake and including arms extended forwardly and divergently from theclamp, a yoke secured to the head; .allishaped vloop joining the said carrier arms;and.. arched loosely over-the rake handle forwardly of the clamp, and a retractile coil spring stretchedbetween the upper portions of the loop andclampgwhereby the frontal ends of theI said arms are-normally elevated tofhold the yoke at i the top of l'the rake1 head.

dlef'an'd'toothedhead, aclamp secured tothe rake -handle, aicarrier p ivotally mounted on the clamp and includingfforwardly extended divergingjarmsthefsaid'carrier being spring set tonormally. swing YtheV said' arms upwardly, a `cross memberjoi'ningfthe free frontall'ends of the said armsv and lhavingv a. longitudinal. channel', and a yoke enclosing" the .rake head and comprising a pairpvfg Ll-.shaped sections Veach with one leg slidably Yconnected,to one leg of the` other and the remaininglegsgslidablymounted endwise into the GoRivrLEY.

4" Incombination with a rake'inoluding a han-Iy 

